The present invention relates generally to cheese and specifically to the calcium enrichment of natural cheese product. Natural cheeses are cheeses that are produced by combining various ingredients to produce a resultant cheese. Natural cheeses are distinct from processed cheeses, which are a cheese product manufactured by combining a natural cheese with other ingredients. Processed cheeses are produced by processing, e.g., grinding up, or preparing in some manner, natural cheese and then mixing the prepared natural cheese with emulsifying agents, e.g., emulsifying salts, and other materials. Usually, other work, such as heating the resulting mixture to produce a homogenous mass of processed cheese, is also subsequently performed. Accordingly, a processed cheese is literally a natural cheese which has subsequently been processed.
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a natural cheese, as opposed to a processed cheese, with enhanced calcium levels. The present invention is a novel and unique process and the resulting product addresses the production of cheese having the desirable qualities of natural cheese plus an enhanced calcium level.
Because calcium is already present in dairy products such as natural cheese it is not, upon initial consideration, apparent why it would be desirous to increase the level of calcium. Cheese is a natural source of calcium and people eat cheese, among other reasons, to get calcium. However, even people who eat cheese do not necessarily eat sufficient quantities to obtain some or all of the calcium they may require. The present invention makes it easier for a person to eat a sufficient quantity of cheese to obtain some or all of the calcium they may require.
Some people may have a special need for additional calcium in their diet. For example, it is well established that many women in our society do not get sufficient levels of calcium from their normal diet. This may lead to debilitating conditions such as osteoporosis. Enhancement of the calcium level of natural cheese allows consumers to eat a good natural cheese product, which provides them with a substantially higher level of calcium than natural cheeses which have been heretofore produced. Consumers are thereby provided with a product which has more of the mineral that they desire from natural cheese than they previously could receive.
The inventors know of no prior art that teaches the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,871 (Park), U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,553 (Zboralski), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,806 (Farkye) are all related to the addition of calcium to cheese.
Park discloses a method for producing a calcium fortified yogurt wherein an acid-soluble calcium salt is added to fruit flavoring which is then subsequently combined with the yogurt base. It is questionable whether Park may be applied to cheese making; however, even if Park were considered analogous, the process disclosed in Park is clearly related to the manufacture of a processed material. In other words, the calcium is added to a yogurt base, which has already been produced and then undergone further processing.
Farkye discloses a method wherein anhydrous calcium chloride is dissolved in a small volume of water to form slurry. This slurry is added to milk containing approximately 3% fat (pH 7.5) at a rate of approximately 0.02% (wt./wt.). The milk is then heated at the rate of 1.3.degree. C. (2.3.degree. F.) per minute to a temperature of 80.degree.-90.degree. C. and is held here for 10-60 minutes (30 minutes is indicated or preferred). A 2% solution of food-grade organic acid at a temperature of 55.degree. C.-80.degree. C. (79.degree. C./175.degree. F.) is added to the milk to reduce the pH to 4.2 to 5.0 (pH 4.4 is preferred) and to form the curd. The curd-whey mixture is held at a temperature of 73.degree. C.-75.degree. C. for about 10 minutes under quiescent conditions whereupon the whey is drained. The curd is trenched to facilitate complete whey removal. Salt (NaCl) is added to the curd at 50.degree.-70.degree. C. at a rate of 2%(wt./wt.) of curd in three approximately equal applications. The salted curd is hooped into stainless steel hoops and pressed for about 30-40 minutes at about 40 psi. The hoops are cooled for 30 minutes-2 hours to about 26.degree. C. (80.degree. F.). The hoops are then transferred to a cold room at 7.degree.-10.degree. C. (45.degree.-50.degree. F.) where they are held overnight. The cheese is then vacuum-packaged. The cheese formed has the following characteristics: moisture 48-55%; protein 20-22%; fat 18-21%; pH 5.1-5.5; and calcium 348-587 mg/100 g cheese. Farkye cheese has a mild flavor, excellent sliceability, is melt resistant and remains fresh for at least 9 weeks of refrigerated storage. A calcium level of about 300-600 mg/100 g of cheese is taught. However, the natural cheese product of the present invention is not melt resistant and has the good melting characteristics of natural cheese and approximately 72.4% more calcium content than the maximum level of calcium content taught by Farkye.
Also, the cheese product produced by Farkye is essentially heat stable and, unlike the present invention, will not melt at temperatures below about 400.degree. F. Additionally, the cheese produced by Farkye is always a soft or semi-soft white cheese.
Zboralski discloses the use of tricalcium phosphate to raise the levels of calcium in process cheeses. However, Zboralski indicates, in the context of soft cheeses, that very precise levels of calcium and only specific types of calcium may be used. Zboralski indicates that straying from the calcium levels specified in his patent caused the resultant cheeses to be unpalatable. Further, it is apparent that Zboralski teaches application of its process to the creation of process cheeses; see Examples 1-6 of Zboralski. Zboralski also teaches application to a spreadable soft processed cheese and requires a CaO/P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ratio of 2.5:1 to 3.1:1, and a beta-tricalcium phosphate content from 50 to 100 percent. The present invention does not fall within these parameters.
Also, the present invention is a unique and simple process and does not require the use of special or additional structures to microencapsulate the calcium material used. The present process produces a cheese having enhanced levels of calcium and a good flavor without having to provide special steps for coating or encapsulating the enriching mineral used.